What is TOMA?

In Market Research world, TOMA is Top-of-mind-awareness.

Awareness is the extent to which a brand is recognized by consumers at large. Typically, there are three different levels by which brand awareness can be measured:

• Top of the mind awareness (TOMA): When mentioned a product/service category, the first brand which comes to mind becomes top-of-mind. For eg. When you hear toothpaste, which is the first brand which comes to your mind?
  

• Brand Recall (Spontaneous awareness): When given cues that may help the respondent recall a brand, such as the segment in which the product/service falls, a specific need that the brand fulfills, or some other cue which helps consumer to recall the brand. For eg. When you hear toothpaste for cavity protection, which brands come to your mind?

• Brand Recognition (Aided awareness): When provided with a list of brands, respondents conforming that they have heard or seen certain brands is aided awareness. For eg. Out of the following brands, which brands have you seen or heard?